[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1665-S1666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE ST. MICHAEL'S COLLEGE FIRE AND RESCUE SQUAD

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I want to take a moment to recognize the 
brave and selfless individuals from the St. Michael's College Fire and 
Rescue Squad, based in Colchester, VT. These young men and women 
respond to emergencies on a moment's notice to help those in need--all 
while balancing the demands of their full college course load. St. 
Michael's College Fire and Rescue helps bring a greater degree of 
safety to residents in Chittenden County, and we are thankful for their 
efforts. Today, I would like

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to commemorate their 50 years of service.
  St. Michael's Fire and Rescue Squad was founded in late 1969, after a 
local student died while waiting for emergency medical services to 
arrive. The community recognized that in order to prevent further 
tragedies of this nature, greater resources must be dedicated to 
emergency responders. Students rose to this challenge, and with the 
help of Donald ``Pappy'' Sutton, the former dean of students, they 
formed the squad. Despite starting out with only minimal equipment, 
this remarkable group now serves 385 square miles of Chittenden County, 
spanning their reach into surrounding towns and along 26 miles of 
Interstate 89. The territory covered far exceeds what we might expect 
from a group of college volunteers, but their capacity to serve only 
goes to show just how dedicated the St. Michael's Fire and Rescue team 
truly is.
  Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of this team is the fact 
that they are all between the ages of 18 and 22. The maturity and grace 
displayed by these young individuals while fulfilling their duties is 
nothing short of inspiring. These are people who, for some, have just 
left home for the first time and yet are successfully responding to 
crisis situations which would tax even the most experienced of us. 
These responders will sometimes be the first on the scene for a car 
crash, overdose, fire or medical emergency, and a split-second decision 
could make the difference between a life saved and a life lost. And we 
should not forget: these responders are all students managing their 
college classes in addition to volunteering. Emergencies give no 
credence to a student's sleep schedule; sometimes these students will 
get woken up in the late hours of the night or early hours of the 
morning to put out a fire, despite having class the following morning. 
Those who receive credit for their volunteer work are on call for 24 
hours a week, taking turns sleeping in the designated volunteer bunks.
  The work done by the St. Michael's Fire and Rescue team is not always 
glamorous, but it has kept the community remarkably safer. On average, 
the squad responds to more than 3,000 calls each year--some just false 
alarms, others far more severe in nature. But what has remained 
consistent is the relief that these volunteers have offered to local 
emergency responders and the peace of mind they have bestowed upon our 
residents. By offering support to our hard-working first responders, 
they inevitably ensure that more Vermonters get the help they need in 
the nick of time. In the process, they have inspired other college 
campuses around the Nation to form their own volunteer response teams, 
who can then help their own communities in times of need.
  This is the type of bravery and selflessness that we are proud to see 
exemplified in our young citizens, and I am honored to have them 
recognized today.

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